CAT/C/SLV/CO/2
including sexual abuse, domestic violence and the violent deaths of women (femicide). The
Committee is furthermore concerned at the absence of thorough investigations into reported
cases and the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of such acts (arts. 12, 13 and 16).
The State party should increase its efforts to ensure that urgent and efficient
protection measures are put in place to prevent and combat violence against women
and girls, including sexual abuse, domestic violence and femicide. The Committee
considers that these crimes should not go unpunished and the State party should
provide human and financial resources to punish the perpetrators of these acts. The
State party should also organize widespread awareness-raising campaigns and
training courses on violence against women and girls for officials in direct contact
with the victims (law enforcement officers, judges, lawyers, social workers, etc.) as
well as for the public at large.
22.
The Committee is also concerned at reports of humiliating body inspections of
women visiting places of detention, in particular at the fact that such inspections may be
carried out by unqualified persons, including personnel without medical training (art. 16).
The Committee emphasizes that inspections of women’s private parts can constitute
cruel or degrading treatment and that the State party should take measures to ensure
that such inspections are carried out only when necessary, by trained female medical
professionals and taking every care to preserve the dignity of the woman being
examined.
11.
Allegations of violence or incest
23.
The Committee is particularly concerned that, according to information received,
over half the complaints involving rape or incest come from victims who were minors when
the offence was committed. It is also concerned that the current Criminal Code of 1998
penalizes and punishes with imprisonment for periods ranging from 6 months to 12 years
all forms of recourse to voluntary interruption of pregnancy, including in cases of rape or
incest, which has resulted in serious harm to women, including death (arts. 2 and 16).
With reference to its general comment No. 2, the Committee recommends that the
State party take whatever legal or other measures are necessary to effectively prevent,
investigate and punish crimes and all acts that put the health of women and girls at
grave risk, by providing the required medical treatment, by strengthening family
planning programmes and by offering better access to information and reproductive
health services, including for adolescents.
12.
Trafficking in persons
24.
The Committee recognizes the efforts made by the State party to deal with the
trafficking of women and girls, such as the creation of a temporary shelter for women and
their children who have been victims of commercial sexual and other forms of exploitation
and of a shelter for girl victims of trafficking. However, the Committee is concerned about
the continuous reports of cases involving the internal and cross-border trafficking of
women and children for sexual and other purposes, and deplores the fact that the officials
suspected of committing these acts have not been properly investigated, prosecuted and
punished (arts. 2, 10 and 16).
The State party should ensure that all allegations concerning the trafficking of
persons are investigated promptly, impartially and thoroughly and that the offenders
are prosecuted and punished for the crime of trafficking in persons. The State party
should continue to conduct nationwide awareness-raising campaigns, provide
adequate programmes of assistance, recovery and reintegration for victims of
trafficking and offer training to law enforcement officers, migration officials and
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